Spur for bass drums



April 4, 1950 F, SIKORA 2,503,135

SPUR FOR BASS DRUMS Filed Jan. '7, 1947 fdl-2a23 ,62' ra, s t l 2a@ 24 33# gag w @Y viewsof two other forms of spur rods.

Patented Apr. 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPUR FOR BASS DRUMS Francis Sikora, Canton, Ohio Application January 7, 1947, Serial No. 720,588

Claims.

` i This invention relates to drum spurs for bracing a bass drum against rolling or rocking when it is set up in playing position in a band or orchestra. :An important object of my invention is to `provide in a drum spur of the above character means for quickly and conveniently assembling the spur with a drum and for adjusting it to the correct position for holding the drum.

Another object of my invention is to provide in'a drum spur of the above character, latching means for securing the spur in operative position and quickly releasable means for disengaging the latching means` to permit the speedy Withdrawal of the spur when the drum is to be moved to a new location.

Still another object of my invention is to provide in a drum spur of the above character, a mounting plate and spur block adapted to be permanently clamped to the circumference of the drum and providing a slideway for a spur rod` and a spring-biased latch incorporated therelin' for locking the spur rod in different positions of longitudinal adjustment.

A further object of my invention is to provide a drum spur of the above character which is simple in construction, effective in operation and convenient in use, and which does not require 'screw adjustments, such as are troublesome and `time consuming, when setting the drum up in playing position.

' Other objects and advantages will be apparent fromthe following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, reference lbeing had to the annexed drawing in which:

` Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a bass drum showing the manner in which the spurs are adapted to be attached thereto;

Figure 2 is a front view of one of the drum spurs;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view through the rdrum spur of Fig. 2 taken on the line 3-3 of that ligure;

Figure 4 is Aa transverse cross-sectional view of the drum spur taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Figure 5 is a detail view of thelatch plate of the drum spur;

lFigure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a modified form of spur block;

Figure 7 is a transverse cross-sectional view 2 taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;v

Figure 8 is a detail view of the latch plate forming part of the drum spur of Fig. 6; and

Figure 9 illustrates transverse cross-sectiona In the drawing is shown a drum spur comprising generally a mounting plate I adapted to be clamped to the circumferential hoop of a bass drum and providing a support for a spur block 2 within which latter is slidably mounted a spur rod 3 held in adjustable position by a latch 4. In practice it is anticipated that two of these drum spurs will be clamped to the drum hoop a suitable distance apart about the drum and remain permanently attached to the drum and that the spur rods 3 will be adjusted within the spur blocks 2 so as to engage the ground, floor or platform on which the drum is supported to hold the drum steady and prevent it from rocking or rolling when it is in use.

Coming now to a more detailed description of the parts, the mounting plate l comprises a circular section la adapted to lie parallel to but spaced from the face of the drum and an arcuate channel section lb integral with and generally tangently disposed to the circular section and being so designed as to snugly t over the circular hoop of the drum. On the channel section is mounted a pair of clamping screws 5 each being threaded through a wall of the channel section and having its end arranged to bear against a face of the drum hoop so that when the screws are turned down the mounting plate I is rigidly clamped to the drum.

Fastened to the mounting plate l as by means of a pair of tie screws 6 is the spur block 2 of generally rectangular cross-section and composed cf two block sections 2a and 2b arranged in face-to-face relation. The screws 6 pass through aligned holes in the block sections and screw into a pair of screw threaded openings 1 in the circular plate section for clamping the block sections together and for securing the spur block to the mounting plate. A number of the openings T are provided in the circular plate section so that the block may be arranged at dierent angles relative to the plate by appropriately choosing the pair of openings for receiving the ends of screws 6.

The opposed faces of the two block sections 2a and 2b are formed with longitudinally extending grooves,'the two grooves together deilning a circular slideway 8 for receiving the spur rod 3 which extends completely through the slideway and projects above and below its ends. The spur rod is formed with saw-tooth lnotches upon its circumference, as indicated at 3a, and its lower end is pointed, as indicated at 3b. The latch 4 for engaging the teeth comprises a latch plate 9 slidable within a slot rl0 vdisposed trans-- 3 versely of the spur block 2 and opening into a rectangular shaped pocket II in the outer face of the spur block.

The latch plate 9 is of such a length as to normally project beyond the slot into the pocket II and the projecting end of the plate is formed with an aperture 9a through which passes the upper end of a leaf spring I2, the lower end of the spring vbeing ,fastened by means lof a screw I3 to the vertical Wall of the recess. The spring is so tensioned as to exert an inward thrust upon the latch plate tending to move it toward and crosswise of the slideway 8. The inner end of the latch plate is formed with a chisel-edge I4, the sloping portion Ida facing upwardly toward the top of the spur block` and beinginclined at substantially the same angle as the sloping surfaces oi the teeth on the spur rod 3. the spur rod is passed downwardly within the -fshdeway 28,".it :forces zthe latch plate oulwvardly against lthe thrust yof the spring I2. in the manr.ing plate i is :cut away in `the area below the spin block. to provide a clearance space I5 4which allows passage for the lower projecting end of -the .spur rod 3.

In Figs. i6, 7 :and 8 rthere is shown an alternative form :of latching mechanism. In this form oi the latching mechanism one of the spur blocks 2n is .longitudinally recessed to provide a slidewayv 'I5 of square transverse vcross-section :adaptvedtoreceiveaspur rod I6 of corresponding crossseetional shape and provided with a series of slots vl/'Sd fdening sduareteeth extending lengthwise thereof. The pair of rspur block sections 2a :and 12b 'are I'grooved upon their opposed faces at :corresponding locations viso that these grooves when 'fthe block sections are assembled together .deli-ne a .horizontal :siot .Il which .slot extends from fside-to-si'de of the block Aand intersects av with an aperture -Ifathrough which projects the upper end .of .a leaf spring I9. Thelowe-r end .of .the spring is held within a vertical-ly disposed Vslctiilil while the vopposed faces .of the .spur block .sections .2a and '2b 'are suitably recessed to form- ;a pocket 2l allowing clearance for the movable upper :end oi the spring. The latch lplate I8 is :of :such dimensions in transverse cross-section as to'readily pass transversely 'through the 'slots Ia on the spur rod I6 and hold the spur 'rod against botlrupward and down-ward :sliding movement. .The leaf-:spring die normally holds ythe latch plate 4in locking lengagement with the teeth on the ,Spur rod l.tas shown Fig. 7) but the latch plate .iscut :away along a longitudinal vedge to Yiform a clearance opening 22 which when the latch plate is slid lengthwise against the thrust of spring I9, by ringer pressure .applied to the projecting end of the plate, rides 'into :alignment with Vthe slide- Way I-' and permits theV spur :rod to be adjusted le-ther upwardly `or downwardly as desired.

Thus when The spur rod need not be round in cross-section, as shown in the embodiment of Figs. l5, or square, as in the embodiment of Figs. 6-8, but may be of other suitable shapes. In Fig. 9 is illustrated spur rods 23 and 24 of generally circular cross-section having longitudinally extending ribs 23a and 26a, respectively, with teeth cut therein for engagement with the latch plate. By making these spur rods of non-circular shape they are correctly positioned when introduced into their slideways so as to present the teeth to the latch plate.

In the ordinary use of the two forms of drum spurs just described, the part of spur blocks 2 will be attached to the drum at angularly spaced distances apart circumferentially'of the drum, this vattachment being more or less permanently effected by means of the mounting plates I which are secured by the clamping screws 5 to the drum hoop in -a manner which already has been explained. rIhe spur rods l3 are then introduced into; the siidew'ays in the spur block-s fand-pushed downwardly until their lower ends engage the floor or ground upon which the drum is supported yto hold the drum against rock-ing. In the case `of the lformerc device of Figs. l-5, the spur rods may be shoved downwardly within their slidewaffs without releasing the spring latches which operate in the manner of a .ratchet in conjunction with the saw teeth on the .spur rods 3; while in the case of the form of device of Figs. 6 8, `the latches will be manually retracted to -release the vlatch plates from the square -teeth when the spur -rodsvare adjusted .to position.

When the-drum is -to be taken up for carrying, it is merely necessary to exert nger pressur-e vagainst the latches of the devices as earlier Atlescribed -to unlock lthe :spur rods and jpermit them to be either entirely withdrawn from their slideways or retracted .a sufficient distance so Athat they do not project beyond the 4circumferenceof the drum. In this way the spur rods may .either remaim permanently associated with the drum or removed `from the drum and-separately stowed away.

It will be `apparentfrom the foregoing descrip- 'tion that the spur rods :may -be quickly and easily adjusted into operative position and that their adjustment avoids the use of wing :nuts .and thumb screws Vwhich Vare slow and .irksome -to manipulate and which frequentlyget'out of order as a result of the mutilation of the threads or because of loss or breakage -of the nuts and screws.

The spur block 2 ymay be attached to its mounting plate I at difieren-t -angles by selecting the uappropriate lpair of vscrevi-threaded openings l .for receiving the ends or the tie yscrews yI5. The arcuate-channel sectionlb of the mounting -plate may be made somewhat oversize, if desired, so as tc t bass drums .of different radii, although it `will usually be found most satisfactory to provide individual mounting plates for each sizeof drum.

While celta-in preferred lspeciiic embodiments of the 'invention have been set forth, it is .to 'ibe understood that the 'invention is not' limited to the exact constructions illustrated and described, but modiiications ef these Idetails 'may 7loe-made Within the purview-of the appended claims.

l. A drum spur' c,omprising a spur =block, a clamp for attaclling 'the spur blocli to the circumference of a drum so as toprotrudelaterally beyond the 'side of the .drurmzatslidew'ay in ithe-:spurlolockwithinthe protruding gllortion of the block adapted to 5 slidably receive a spur rod having a, series of teeth extending lengthwise thereon so as to project beyond the circumference of the drum, a latch plate mounted for movement in a path intersecting the slideway, said latch plate having sliding side contact with the teeth on the spur rod and having a cut-out of a size to provide clearance for the spur rod, a spring for urging the latch plate in one direction for interlocking the latch plate with the teeth on the spur rod and iinger-engageable means for movingr the latch plate in the other direction for bringing the cutout into alignment with the teeth.

2. A drum spur comprising in combination a mounting plate including an arcuate channel section adapted to fit over the circumferential hoop upon a drum, means for clamping the mounting plate to the hoop, a spur block secured to the mounting plate and arranged to protrude beyond the drum hoop and providing a slideway disposed transversely of the channel section, a spur rod slidably mounted in the slideway and adapted to project beyond the circumference of the drum, said spur rod having circumferential teeth extending lengthwise thereof, a latch plate slidably mounted in the spur block for movement in a path intersecting the slideway and engaging the teeth of the spur rod, a spring for urging the latch plate in one direction for interlocking with the teeth on the spur rod and ngerengageable means for moving the latch plate in the other direction for releasing said teeth.

8. A drum spur as set forth in claim 2 in which the means for securing the spur block to the mounting plate are so constructed and arranged as to allow the spur block to be secured to the mounting plate at diierent angles with respect thereto.

4. A drum spur adapted to be attached to the circumferential hoop of a drum to hold the drum against rocking movement, said drum spur comprising a Spur block having a channel for fitting over the outer edge of the drum hoop so as t0 overhang the hoop, clamping means for clamping the spur block t0 the hoop, a slideway disposed in a plane extending transversely of said channel, a spur rod slidable in said slideway so as to project beyond the circumference of the drum, a series of teeth extending lengthwise of the spur rod, a latch member mounted on said spur block for movement in a path intersecting the slideway for interlocking with the teeth on the spur rod, spring means for urging the latch member into toothengaging position and nger-engageable means for moving the latch plate in the reverse direction out oi tooth-engaging position.

5. A drum spur as set forth in claim 4 in which the latch member comprises a plate slidable within a slot formed in the spur block.

FRANCIS SIKORA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 230,467 Carter July 2'?, 1880 '204,603 Wadsworth July 15, 1902 880,053 Beilfuss Feb. 25, 1908 1,022,149 Maphet Apr, 2, 1912 1,384,676 Rue July 12, 1921 1,604,670 Willis et al Oct. 26, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 230,467 Great Britain May 12, 1927 

